Cost of Living Comparison Between Marikina and Nanchang Cost of Living Comparison Between Marikina and Nanchang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $684 per month in Marikina vs $692 in Nanchang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,072 per month in Marikina vs $1,094 in Nanchang, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,459 per month in Marikina vs $1,496 in Nanchang, rent included.

Marikina is about 1% cheaper than Nanchang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Marikina and Nanchang are more affordable than the global median – Marikina 49% lower, Nanchang 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ₱214

$2.75 ¥18.60

26.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.45 ₱1,754

$15.52 ¥105

83.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 ₱214

$4.78 ¥32.30

-27.62%

Cappuccino

$2.69 ₱166

$2.80 ¥18.94

-3.93%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.50

$0.42 ¥2.85

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.94

$0.25 ¥1.69

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ₱66.9

$1.08 ¥7.30

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₱162

$1.86 ¥12.54

41.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₱127

$2.00 ¥13.50

2.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ₱89.7

$2.35 ¥15.88

-38.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ₱68.0

$0.82 ¥5.55

34.15%

Eggs

$2.26 ₱139

$1.58 ¥10.72

43.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 ₱490

$10.34 ¥69.9

-23.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱284

$3.24 ¥21.88

42.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 ₱489

$8.95 ¥60.5

-11.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₱167

$1.85 ¥12.53

47.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$0.99 ¥6.72

93.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$1.71 ¥11.55

58.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ₱133

$1.76 ¥11.89

22.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 ₱205

$0.84 ¥5.69

295.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 ₱179

$1.09 ¥7.40

166.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$0.51 ¥3.46

123.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₱42.57

$0.43 ¥2.91

60.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ₱176

$2.83 ¥19.16

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 ₱540

$12.67 ¥85.6

-30.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₱76.6

$0.87 ¥5.86

42.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱128

$1.37 ¥9.28

51.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₱28.46

$0.23 ¥1.54

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.66 ¥92.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.15

$1.14 ¥7.69

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.64

$0.28 ¥1.91

-57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ₱223

$7.10 ¥47.99

-49.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.9

$1.17 ¥7.90

-5.98%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.0K ₱2.1M

$23.6K ¥159.5K

44.29%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$17.4K ₱1.1M

$21.1K ¥142.6K

-17.36%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$110 ₱6,765

$43.07 ¥291

154.75%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.62 ₱840

$10.47 ¥70.8

30.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.05 ₱1,606

$14.89 ¥101

74.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.93 ₱2,585

$39.79 ¥269

5.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.90 ¥94.0

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ₱393

$5.87 ¥39.67

8.69%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$321 ₱19.8K

$318 ¥2,153

0.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,131 ₱69.8K

$7,515 ¥50.8K

-84.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.42 ₱2,862

$46.32 ¥313

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ₱1,606

$23.57 ¥159

10.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.5 ₱3,482

$80.4 ¥543

-29.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.95 ₱1,662

$63.6 ¥430

-57.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₱11.0K

$277 ¥1,875

-35.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.2 ₱5,435

$187 ¥1,263

-52.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₱18.3K

$594 ¥4,018

-50.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 ₱10.4K

$355 ¥2,399

-52.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,140 ₱70.3K

$2,034 ¥13.8K

-43.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$478 ₱29.5K

$1,583 ¥10.7K

-69.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$398 ₱24.5K

$728 ¥4,921

-45.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

3.89

60.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Marikina: May 30, 2026

Last update for Nanchang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 in Marikina versus $277 in Nanchang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 83% higher in Nanchang, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Marikina versus $16.00 in Nanchang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $202 – making Nanchang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Marikina vs Nanchang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $684 in Marikina, $692 in Nanchang – roughly 1% apart. Nanchang costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,027 per month in Marikina and $1,038 in Nanchang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marikina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $684 in Marikina and $692 in Nanchang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $321 per month in Marikina and $318 in Nanchang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $684 in Marikina and $692 in Nanchang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Marikina – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Marikina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nanchang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.